title: Cowpea mosaic virus nanoparticles target surface vimentin on cancer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vimentin, a type III intermediate filament, is upregulated during epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor progression. Vimentin is surface-expressed on cells involved in inflammation; the function remains unknown. We investigated the expression of surface vimentin on cancer cells and evaluated targeting nanoparticles to tumors exploiting vimentin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cowpea mosaic virus nanoparticles that interact with surface vimentin were used as probes. Tumor homing was tested using the chick chorioallantoic membrane model with human tumor xenografts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surface vimentin levels varied during cell cycle and among the cell lines tested. Surface vimentin expression correlated with cowpea mosaic virus uptake, underscoring the utility of cowpea mosaic virus to detect invasive cancer cells. Targeting to tumor xenografts was observed; homing was based on the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Our data provide novel insights into the role of surface vimentin in cancer and targeting nanoparticles in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department for Cell Biology, Center for Integrative Molecular Biosciences, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Steinmetz
authors.forename: Choi-Fong
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ablack
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manchester
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002642:Chick Embryo; D017798:Comovirus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D014746:Vimentin